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Revised
June 8th, 2015
Contents
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1
SUMMARY ............................................................................................. 1
SETTING................................................................................................ 2
Project Context ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Policy Setting ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Existing Traffic Conditions .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Auto Travel ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Bike Travel ......................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Other Modes ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Safety Conditions ............................................................................................................................................................... 7
INTRODUCTION
The Philadelphia Pedestrian and Bike Master plan identifies Chestnut Street as a high priority for
bicycle improvements. Currently it attracts bicycle use despite the lack of any designated bike
facilities. The Streets Department determined that a traffic study of Chestnut Street was in order
to assess the feasibility of the addition of a bicycle lane. The purpose of this study is to evaluate
traffic conditions and document safety history and to determine whether there are feasible
improvements that could be made that would significantly enhance the safety and comfort of
cycling on Chestnut Street with acceptable impacts to other modes.
SUMMARY
The segment of Chestnut Street evaluated in this study extends from Chestnut and 45th Street to
Chestnut and 34th Street, and is approximately 1 mile in length. Chestnut Street is currently a
three lane one way arterial serving roughly 20,000 vehicles per day in the study area. From 2009
to 2013 Chestnut Street as a whole ranks as the highest crash rate per mile in the city of
Philadelphia is in the top 5 locations in for crashes involving pedestrian fatalities and serious
injuries and is in the top 10 locations for crashes involving bikes. The crash rate on the study
segment is especially high at 4.0 crashes per vehicle mile.
While the segment in question provides an exceptionally good level of service for automobiles,
particularly for a densely urbanized area, the level of service for bike use is demonstrably poor.
Both of these situations are a function of the wide cross section of the street which permits for
travel well above 30 miles per hour along many blocks even during peak travel times.
The proposal evaluated in this report is the conversion of one auto travel lane and a shift in
parking to create a left side parking protected bike lane. The project would connect the existing
north-south bike facility on the west side of University City to the existing conventional bike lane
on Chestnut Street extending from 34th Street to east of the Schuylkill River. It is consistent with
the Citys 2012 Pedestrian and Bike Master Plan and supports possible future improvements west
of 45th street as well as improvements in coordination with PennDOTs Chestnut Street Schuylkill
River Bridge Project.
The analysis shows that the lane conversion would result in considerable improvement in the LOS
for bicyclists. The reduction in LOS for auto users is acceptable given the urban environment this
segment traverses, however this does depend on the retiming of signals and careful attention to
turning treatments. Congestion at the intersections of 38th and Chestnut and 42nd and Chestnut
will increase, but overall the travel time on this segment will grow by less than one minute
according to the analysis. The benefits for bike use and the indirect benefits for pedestrian travel
justify these conditions.
It should be recognized that to be fully successful the project will require coordination with local
stakeholders including the University of Pennsylvania and the University City District. The nature
of that coordination is not the subject of this study.
SETTING
Project Context
The area under study is Chestnut Street through University of Pennsylvania from 45th Street to 34th
Street a segment of roughly 1 mile in length. This segment provides a link from West
Philadelphia in the vicinity of West Catholic High School, through the University of Pennsylvania to
the existing site of construction for U. Penn.s New College Hall at Hill Field. This is where
construction has currently narrowed traffic down along Chestnut Street to two lanes and where an
existing right side bike lane begins that extends past the 30th street Post Office to Chestnut Street
Bridge and ends in west Center City Philadelphia at 23rd Street. The existing bike lane east of 34th
Street provides access to the Schuylkill River Trail via the ramp and stairs built on the north side of
Chestnut Street Bridge. There is concern about bikes crossing from the south to the trail access.
PennDOT is currently designing a project to retrofit the bridge which may result in a left side bike
lane from 34th to 22nd Street.
Vehicle traffic on Chestnut Street is one way eastbound and works in combination with Walnut
Street, which is one way west bound to permit higher speed traffic through west Philadelphia and
University City. There is some concern that during off peak hours, cars travel at speeds that
approach 50 miles per hour despite a posted speed limit on Chestnut of 25 miles per hour.
This is a study area is served by the University City District which coordinates with the City and
other stakeholders on public realm improvements and related maintenance activities. The
Philadelphia Department of Streets
Chestnut Avenue Bike Lane Study Report
University of Pennsylvania Police are responsible for a range of enforcement activities including
parking enforcement.
Policy Setting
In 2009 the City of Philadelphia has adopted a Complete Streets Policy which established that our
Streets should be safe for users of all modes of transportation. The Streets Departments
objective is to find opportunities to improve bicycle access and to enhance connectivity among the
over 200 miles of bike facilities in the City.
The Department has also set a goal to reduce overall traffic crashes and specifically traffic
fatalities. It is understood that crashes between pedestrians and bikes and vehicles travelling
more than 25 miles per hour show a progressively higher severity in terms of injury and fatality.
Chestnut Street is designated as a priority of location for bicycle network improvements and
represented in the draft 2013 Philadelphia Planning Commission Bike Priority map as a high
priority for a protected bike facility.
In order to accommodate any type of bike lane on Chestnut Street, a lane of traffic or parking
would need to be removed. This would require an ordinance from City Council.
The use of left side bike lanes on one-way streets has been adopted as best practice through the
the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Urban Street Design Guide and
has been endorsed by the City of Philadelphia. The benefits of left side bike lanes include the
reduction of conflicts with trucks and buses and the placement of bikes in a position of higher
visibility by motorists.
This can be attributed in part to the effects of construction along Chestnut Street and to the
reopening of Market Street to traffic during this period, but it also is consistent with a general
trend in observed auto volumes despite an increase in population and employment.
Analysis of auto travel conditions is focused on the AM peak hour on Chestnut Street because this
represents the flow of inbound traffic into University City and towards Center City from residential
areas in West Philadelphia and outside of the City. Table 2 summarizes the results of intersection
level of service (LOS) evaluated using the 2010 Highway Capacity Manual methodology for
signalized intersections. Table 3 summarizes the arterial level of service using the 2010 HCM
methodologies. Both the intersection and arterial levels of service are acceptable under existing
(3-lane conditions) for all locations except for arterial level of service on eastbound Chestnut
Street west of 38th Street which operates at LOS E with an average speed of 8 miles per hour.
INTERSECTION
34th Street & Chestnut Street
36th Street & Chestnut Street
37th Street & Chestnut Street
38th Street & Chestnut St.
Delay
(sec.)
Level of
Service
31.3
30.3
9.1*
18.8
20.2
19.0
6.8*
24.1
20.2
18.6
18.6
C
C
A
B
C
B
A
C
C
B
B
Speed
(mph)
Level of Service
15.6
14.9
18.0
8.0
21.6
22.2
18.1
15.3
14.2
18.2
18.6
16.1
C
C
C
E
B
B
C
C
C
C
C
C
Table 4 summarizes the estimated travel time which is expected to be between 3 and 4 minutes
from 45th street to 34th Street (206 seconds).
TRAVEL
TIME (Sec.)
24
17
17
33
22
21
12
21
11
13
16
206 sec.
Bike Travel
Just as it is possible to evaluate auto level of service conditions similar measures exist to evaluate
Bike level of service. Whereas auto level of service is evaluated in terms of volume and capacity
and the resulting influence on delay, Bicycle level of service is determined based on design
Philadelphia Department of Streets
Chestnut Avenue Bike Lane Study Report
characteristics, exposure to traffic and the consequences in terms of comfort and potential safety.
A computationally simplified version of the 2010 Highway Capacity Manual, bicycle level of service
method has been evaluated for this report.2 Here each block of the study area has been evaluated
based on what proportion of cyclists would grade it from A through F. For simplicity A or B is
designated good C or D is shown as fair and E or F is considered poor for biking based on
physical characteristics and vehicle traffic conditions. The bike level of service is not considered as
a peak hour condition specifically.
Figure 1 illustrates the results aggregated for Chestnut Street from 45th Street to 34th Street.
Overall, 51 percent of cyclists would rate this road as poor for cycling compared to other facilities.
Only 11 percent of cyclists would rate this road as good. These results are primarily a function of
the lack of any protection from high speed traffic. The multi lane configuration of Chestnut Street
also contributes to the poor rating. Multi-lane roads experience weaving, lane changing and
passing behavior that hinders cycling above the effect of facilitating higher speeds.
The poor level of service is a representation of uncomfortable conditions for the average cyclist to
ride a bike but as indicated below it is also an indication of potential safety concerns.
38%
11%
LOS = A or B
LOS = C or D
"GOOD"
"FAIR"
LOS = E or F
"POOR"
Based on Ali, Asma Tayyab; Cristei, Cerasela; Flannery, Aimee. Using Cumulative Logistic Regression Model for
Evaluating Bicycle Facilities on Urban Arterials. In Compendium of 92th Transportation Research Board Annual
meeting, Washington D.C., January 10- 14, 2012.
Other Modes
Pedestrians - Chestnut Street provides pedestrians with roughly 12- 15 foot sidewalks one each
side along this segment with this divided on most blocks between a furnishing zone which
sometimes includes street trees and a walking zone that abundantly provides for standard
minimum footways (5) with no permanent pinch points. A recent project was undertaken to
upgrade signals along this stretch with pedestrian countdown signal indicators.
Transit - The entire length of Chestnut Street in Philadelphia is served by the Route 42 bus which
also extends to 69th street terminal. The Gold Loop of the LUCY bus serving University City also
runs along Chestnut Street, between 40th Street and 38th Street with a stop near the intersection
of 40th and Chestnut.
Freight - Goods movement along Chestnut Street is somewhat constrained by the narrow parking
lanes as well as the speed of travel along Chestnut. Deliveries which do occur in the travel lanes
can be bypassed by the remaining two lanes except in locations where the current cross-section is
currently reduced because of ongoing construction.
Safety Conditions
A five-year crash history taken from 2009 -2013 for the entire length of Chestnut Street shows
that this street has the highest rate of crashes per mile in the City of Philadelphia (Table 5). It
ranks fourth in the number of bike crashes (Table 6) and is tied for seventh in the number of
pedestrians killed or severely injured (Table 7). It can be demonstrated that to a very significant
degree, the safety issues reflected in overall crash statistics available for the entire length of
Chestnut Street are, in fact, localized to the study segment from 45th Street to 34th Street.
Table 5 Chestnut Street (Entire Length) Crash Ranking
Rank
S tre e t
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Chestnut Street
Market Street
52nd Street
Frankford Avenue
Broad Street
Walnut Street
5th Street
Germantown Avenue
Ridge Avenue
Roosevelt Boulevard/Expressway
N umbe r of
Cra she s
S tre e t Le ngth
in Mile s
Cra shR a te
(Cra she s/ Mile )
143
5.8
24.5
112
5.8
19.5
85
4.4
19.3
176
11.3
15.6
262
17.5
15.0
104
9.5
11.0
102
9.5
10.7
107
10.2
10.5
99
10.3
9.6
147
27.4
5.4
Rank
Stre e t
1
2
3
4
5 (T)
5 (T)
7
8 (T)
8 (T)
9 (T)
9 (T)
9 (T)
Broad Street
SPRING GARDEN
Walnut Street
Chestnut Street
5th Street
Frankford Avenue
Spruce Street
Market Street
Roosevelt Boulevard
Front Street
Girard Avenue
Ridge Avenue
64
30
30
27
26
26
23
20
20
19
19
19
Table 7 Chestnut Street (Entire Length) Ranking of Pedestrians Killed or Severely Injured
Rank
Street
1
2
3
4
5 (T)
5 (T)
7 (T)
7 (T)
7 (T)
7 (T)
Roosevelt Boulevard
Broad Street
Frankford Avenue
Lehigh Avenue
Cottman Avenue
Market Street
Chestnut Street
Delaware Avenue
Torresdale Avenue
Aramingo Avenue
Pedestrians
Killed or
Severely
Injured
34
16
16
10
8
8
7
7
7
7
The study segment from 45th to 34th Street is associated with a substantial number of these
crashes. For the most recent three year period from 2011 to 2013, there were 92 crashes
involving vehicles, 19 crashes involving pedestrians and 12 crashes involving bikes. This means
that almost 75 percent of the crashes recorded along the entire length Chestnut Street occur in
this study segment.
The annual average rate of vehicle crashes is over 50 percent higher than what would be expected
based only on road type and volume (4.18 a homogenous rate of 1.88, See Table 8). The share of
bike crashes on Chestnut Street is over three times higher than the city average. This is certainly
Philadelphia Department of Streets
Chestnut Avenue Bike Lane Study Report
a function of the fact that the fact the street serves relatively more bikes and it indicates the
potential benefit of the proposed significant safety improvements
Table 8 Chestnut Street from 45th to 34th Street Crash Comparisons (2011-2013)
Measurement
Chestnut
Street 34th
to 44th
Crash Rate
Share of Crashes involving a Bike
2.84
14%
Comparison
1.88 Statewide Expected Rate
4% City of Philadelphia Average
Percent
Difference
51%
257%
PROPOSED PROJECT
For several years proposals have been considered to provide a bike lane along Chestnut Street.
This study considers a proposal that consists of removing a travel lane and providing a parking
buffered bike lane. A comparison of the existing and the proposed cross section of the street is
presented in Figure 2.
The proposed configuration would allow for a 4 foot buffer between left side parking and the bike
lane for open door clearance as well as for loading and unloading of passengers and light goods.
The left hand parking lane would be increased in size from the minimum seven to the current
standard 8-foot width.
Left side bike lane avoids conflicts with buses along stretches where there is no buffer.
buffer Bus drivers
have an easier time seeing the bikes and maintaining a clear distance on the left side of their
vehicles.
The implementation of these conce
conceptual
ptual improvements, their enforcement and maintenance will
be most effective if undertaken in coordination with local partners including the University City
District, the University
niversity of Pennsylvania and other local organizations.
Turns
Left turns from Chestnut Street can be accommodated by eliminating parking at six locations to
create a left turn lane. Depending on the results of signal retiming u
up to 12 parking stalls may
Philadelphia Department
ent of Streets
Chestnut Avenue Bike Lane Study Report
considered for elimination to accommodate turns. This out of roughly 300 on-street spaces along
the length of the study segment.
Left turn treatments will require marking out conflict zones to accommodate bike movements.
This analysis assumes that right turns from Chestnut Street to the southbound direction utilize the
existing bus pads as typically occurs when this space is available
Retiming
Analysis of signal timing indicates that more green time would need to be provided at several
intersections for eastbound traffic and that signal offsets should be optimized. The signal cycles
would remain at 60 seconds from 45th to 39th Street and at 90 second from 38th Street east.
INTERSECTION
34th Street & Chestnut Street
36th Street & Chestnut Street
37th Street & Chestnut Street
38th Street & Chestnut St.
Existing
Level of
Delay
Service
31.3
30.3
9.1*
18.8
20.2
19.0
6.8*
24.1
20.2
18.6
18.6
C
C
A
B
C
B
A
C
C
B
B
C
D
B
C
C
C
B
D
C
C
C
Table 6 compares the peak hour arterial level of service. This analysis shows that eastbound
travel along the segments of Chestnut Street west of 42nd Street would degrade significantly and
that that speed west of 38th Street which is currently constrained would suffer a further marginal
degradation.
Existing
Level of
Speed
Service
15.6
14.9
18.0
8.0
21.6
22.2
18.1
15.3
14.2
18.2
18.6
16.1
C
C
C
E
B
B
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
F
C
C
C
E
D
C
D
C
Table 7 compares the estimated travel time. Over the whole length of the study area the travel time
would increase by just under 1 minute.
Table 7 COMPARISON OF EXISTING AND WITH BIKE LANE ARTERIAL TRAVEL TIME
ARTERIAL TRAVEL TIME IN SECONDS
SEGMENT (WEST OF)
34th Street & Chestnut Street
36th Street & Chestnut Street
37th Street & Chestnut Street
38th Street & Chestnut St.
Existing
With Bike
Lane
24
17
17
33
22
21
12
21
11
13
16
206
31
21
19
31
32
29
18
25
16
22
21
264
May 29, 2015
Page 12
Bike Travel
The addition of a protected bike lane on Chestnut Street will have significant effects on the level of
service for cyclists using this route. Figure 3 provides a comparison between existing conditions
and conditions with a protected bike lane. The analysis demonstrates the effects of the additional
space the lane provides as well as the reduction in exposure to high speed traffic which results
from the reduction in lanes and from the presence of the parking buffer. The results show an
expected improvement from 11% to 67% rating the road Good (LOS A or B) when compared to
other facilities and a reduction from 51% to 6% Poor (LOS A or B).
W/Bike Lane
67%
51%
38%
28%
11%
LOS = A or B
"GOOD"
6%
LOS = C or D
LOS = E or F
"FAIR"
"POOR"
Other Modes
Pedestrians will benefit from speed reduction and on the north side of Chestnut Street will gain an
additional 10 feet of buffering from the vehicle travel lanes. This is associated with improved
pedestrian level of service but the effect was not quantified for this study. Pedestrian delay may
increase at a some intersections when retiming is undertaken but all crossing will maintain the
required pedestrian minimum times.
Buses operating on Chestnut Street would benefit by having the bike traffic located away from the
right lane where the buses operate and stops occur and where most trucks travel. Along with
other vehicle traffic, there would be an increase in the travel time along this segment of Chestnut
but there would be no relative increase in travel time compared to car traffic on the same blocks.
Philadelphia Department of Streets
Chestnut Avenue Bike Lane Study Report
Safety Conditions
The reduction from three lanes to two lanes will contribute to a reduction in higher speed travel as
well as weaving behavior, especially during off peak periods. This should reduce crashes for all
modes. Studies were not identified to quantify the benefit of reductions from 3 lanes to 2 lanes
but for illustrative purposes studies have shown that a reduction from 2 through lanes to 1
through lane can be expected to reduce crashes by 47% (refer to FHWA, Crash Reduction Factor
Clearinghouse, http://www.cmfclearinghouse.org/).
The protection offered by the parking protected bike lane should eliminate side swipe and rear
end collisions between vehicles and bikes along road segments. The reduction of crashes at
intersections will require the installation of standard conflict markings.
Conclusions
A parking protected bike lane would have demonstrable benefits to the level of service for cyclists
along Chestnut Street. From the perspective of traffic circulation and safety, the implementation
is feasible but it will require signal retiming and will involve the removal of parking to
accommodate left turns. There will be impacts to intersection delay and travel speed and travel
through this segment of Chestnut Street will take approximately one minute longer. Given that
this is the heart of a dense university community with significant pedestrian activity the additional
delay constitutes an acceptable tradeoff for the anticipated benefits.
Future Considerations
There is an opportunity to extend the left side bike lane to segments both east of 34th Street and
west of 45th Street. In each case these would constitute entirely separate projects from what is
evaluated here.
East of 34th Street, PennDOT has a project to rehabilitate the Chestnut Street Bridge across the
Schuylkill River. The bounds of this project extend west to allow for additional structure work as
well as construction detours and the City has held discussions with PennDOT to determine
whether paving and striping would be possible incorporated into that project to shift the existing
right hand bike lane to the left side. It may be possible on some blocks to incorporate parking
protection. A number of design issues would need to be resolved but one benefit of such a
connection is that it could provide direct access to the Schuylkill River trail using the ramp and
stairs located on the north (left side) of the Chestnut Street Bridge
West of 45th Street, from Cobbs Creek to 45th has also been a candidate for modification to two
lanes of through traffic with a buffered bike lane. The Crash history on Chestnut west of 45th
Street is significant though not as high as on the study segment. This is a more residential area
than the study segment and may merit a different design.